Blog: Kaffee Klatsch

NEW ArtFoamies Stamps – City Streets

 

They’re here! My latest foam stamp designs with ArtFoamies are in stock and ready to ship.

Get the City Streets stamps here.  These stamps are all based on manhole covers and grates that I’ve photographed over the years on my Stroll Through the Hood excursions. Many of them are sets of positive and negative designs so you can layer them up in cool ways. All of them are really nifty versatile patterns that could be focal points, backgrounds, you name it. The Midtown Mini Set is 4 stamps that you can arrange any way you like to create a cityscape of your design. Most of the names come from places and streets right around my own Hood.

And… I’ll be introducing the stamps and showing them on my Kaffeeklatsch Facebook Live event this Wednesday, September 20th at 4pm EST. Join me for a chat – it’s been a while!

I’ll also be talking about my inspiring road trip that I took recently in the American Southwest, my upcoming Workshop at Nat’s (Yes, I’m hosting a workshop at my place!), and a couple other things. Drop in, say hello, I’d love to see you there :)

Wednesday, September 20th at 4pm EST.

Nat

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Today is the Day – Tina Walker

cs-october-theme

This Tuesday, Tina Walker from my Creative Squad is happy to share with you two super cool projects using Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel and inspired by this month’s theme: “Today is the Day.”  I invite you to join me and my Creative Squad to stop procrastinating and be inspired to make today the day you finally tackle that artsy thing you’ve been meaning to get to for so long.  Start that new project you’ve been planning for months.  Try out that new product you bought ages ago.  Experiment with that new technique you read about last year.  Try it!  Today is the Day!

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Hi!  Tina Walker here today to kick off the new month with a new Theme.  This month, our theme is ‘Today is the Day’.  As the old adage by Benjamin Franklin goes, ‘Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today.”

The Creative Squad was challenged to tackle an arsty thing that we’ve been meaning to do.  It could be a new project or a new technique.  I love trying new ideas and techniques so I was super excited to get started.  Let’s get to it!

Have y’all heard about Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel (UTEE)?  It’s been around f.o.r.e.v.e.r and it’s been sitting on my shelf for YEARS just begging to be used.  I thought this month would be the perfect time to create with it! I’ve watched several videos on how to stamp into UTEE and wanted to try for myself, so the two projects I am sharing today are the result of this technique.

Step One: Melt UTEE per instructions.  You can either add color with embossing powder or metallic powders or use clear.

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Step Two: Prep your stamp.  (Only rubber stamps can be used.  Acrylic will not work for this technique).  To create a ‘resist’, apply Versmark ink to your stamp.  You can either stamp without color or add color with Staz On Ink.  I used a colored ink with Nat’s Urban Scribble cling stamp so it would show on the UTEE.

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Step Three: Pour melted UTEE on heat resistant craft mat.  Immediately stamp into the melted UTEE and let sit for approx. 15 min.  Once cool, carefully remove your stamp from the UTEE.

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Special Note:  UTEE is very fragile and I cracked several in the process.  Using a thicker layer vs. a thin layer adds to the stability.

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Step Four: You can use your piece *as-is* or add paint, spray, or other mediums.

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Project One – Today Wooden House

I added white embossing powder to the UTEE with Nat’s Kaffee Klatsch cling stamp.  Once cool, I colored the piece with metallic powders.  As I was ‘painting’ the piece it cracked.  L  But, instead of starting over, I continued to use the cracked piece, highlighting the cracks with dictionary paper.

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Project Two – Rusty Cityscape

Using the same UTEE mixture, I stamped with another stamp.  Once cool, I rusted the edges of the piece to blend with the other rusty elements in the project.  Funky and unique!

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What new technique or product are you dying to try/use?  I’d love to hear about it!  Thank you for taking time today to take a peek at projects.  See you next month.

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I love love love both of these projects and can’t wait to play around with the UTEE myself!

In addition to some wood, gauze, various rusty findings, Dusty Attic Rusting Powder, sari ribbon, and a sticker, Tina used the supplies listed below (some are affiliate links):

SuppliesCJS



Maybe you will even play along with us -I would love to see how you interpret our monthly themes. Email me how you used my stencils and stamps with the theme and email me an image – I would love to share your projects in my next “n*Spiration From Around the Globe“.

See you next Tuesday for another project from the Creative Squad!

Nat

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From Small Beginnings – Marsha Valk

CS September Theme 2

Happy Tuesday!  It’s time for my Creative Squad to share a project with you with this month’s theme: “From Small Beginnings”. Throughout the month of September, the team will be using my n*Studio Stamps to interpret the theme. The change in seasons and the childhood ritual of Back to School in September has me thinking about starting new things – new projects, learning new things, and meeting new people, and all the excitement and challenges that come with all of these “new”s. For this theme, From Small Beginnings, my Squad will think about the process of starting something new and the very first steps they took. I’ll ask them, how did you experience a Beginning?

So this week we have a gorgeous scrapbook page from Marsha Valk, where she reminisces about her start in mixed media with stamping, embossing powders, and scrapbooking.

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Marsha September Headshot

This theme made me think about how I started stamping. I can’t remember which stamps I bought first. I’m guessing it was a small wood mounted alphabet set.

I do know that some of the first inks I had were little Colorbox Cat’s Eyes and the first time I used embossing powder was in an Ali Edwards class. It was sooo scary and soooo amazing at the same time!!! And then, of course I had to buy the stuff for myself.

Anyway, I started to look for the mini I made in that class and I ended up looking through some of the other minis I’ve made over the years. One of the minis featured a photo of my scrapcorner in the attic in 2006 and that sparked my plan for this theme:

I wanted to scrapbook, I wanted to heat emboss and I wanted to use materials I would (or could) have had 10 or more years ago.

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I started stamping on a smooth watercolour paper with embossing ink. I heat-embossed with white embossing powder.

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Then I played around with Ecoline and… forgot to take further photos… Oops.

Once the Ecoline was dry I added the cardstock cluster and my photo. My title was made with two of my Dymo Label Makers. One of them is actually visible on the desk in the photos!

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I also added some Scrappers Floss to the cluster with a stapler and because I used to print most of my journaling, I adhered my text in strips to the page. I finished the page with some paint marker splatters and the date.

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I love how Marsha took us both back in time AND behind-the-scenes with her super fun page.  And those Kaffee Klatsch and Mish Mesh stamps look amazing embossed in white against those gorgeous colors!

In addition to paper floss, a stapler, and personal photographs , Marsha used the supplies listed below (some are affiliate links):

SuppliesCJS

Maybe you will even play along with us -I would love to see how you interpret our monthly themes. Email me how you used my stencils and stamps with the theme and email me an image – I would love to share your projects in my next “n*Spiration From Around the Globe“.

See you next Tuesday for another project from the Creative Squad!

Nat

Comments (2)

  • Joi@RR

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    This was a fun story of your beginnings Marsha and your project is fun too! Really awesome background with the stamps. My very first stamp was Nathalie’s Fiesta stamp and would you believe I WON it – from her???!!!! I treasure it still!!! Thanks bunches for sharing. j.

    Reply

  • Mary

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    Beautiful. Love the technique. Thanks for sharing.
    On my list to do.

    Reply

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From Small Beginnings – Cheiron Brandon

CS September Theme 2

It’s Tuesday and time for my Creative Squad to share a project with you with this month’s theme: “From Small Beginnings”. Throughout the month of September, the team will be using my n*Studio Stamps to interpret the theme. The change in seasons and the childhood ritual of Back to School in September has me thinking about starting new things – new projects, learning new things, and meeting new people, and all the excitement and challenges that come with all of these “new”s. For this theme, From Small Beginnings, my Squad will think about the process of starting something new and the very first steps they took. I’ll ask them, how did you experience a Beginning?

So this week we have 3 different card designs from Cheiron Brandon to celebrate her love of cardmaking – the thing that got her started in the creative life :)

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Cheiron September Headshot

Hi there! It’s Cheiron here with my September project. When I initially thought of the theme From Small Beginnings, I thought back to how I got started in art, crafting and art journaling as an adult. About 12 years ago, I moved back to NJ and there was a small stamp shop that opened right down the street from me. I was always interested in making things and I remember making watercolor cards in high school and putting simple messages on them. Rubber stamps opened a whole new world to me. In the past several years, I have had the opportunity to work with several stamp companies and design teams, the most recent being a part of the N*Studio squad.

I am grateful for having art, stamping and especially card making in my life. In the past 10 years I have amassed a HUGE collection of supplies, but I always find for me that the cards I love to make are the most basic. I am sharing 3 simple cards with you today, each was made with only one stamp and a sentiment or word pulled from a giant bin of stickers I still have. I made all three of these cards in under an hour and now have some happy mail to send to friends!

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This first card is made with a stamp from the Marks stamp set. I love these X’s and stamped them in 3 different colors then went over each section with an ink blending tool with the same color. A few letter stickers, pieces of washi tape and a staple with my tiny attacher, and voila!

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The second card was even easier…a few stamped images from the Kaffee Klatsch stamp set colored in with watercolors, and a little gold splatter and one simple sentiment sticker.

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For the final card, I used a stamp from the Mish Mesh stamp set as a sunshine, and painted it loosely with watercolor, another sentiment and it’s good to go.

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I hope these cards remind you of why you got started with this hobby, and what initially brought you joy. I had so much fun making these quick cards and sharing them with you :)

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I love Cheiron’s story of her “beginning” and the cards are simply beautiful.  I think everyone would like to be on her mailing list!

In addition to washi tape and various word stickers from her stash, Cheiron used the supplies listed below (some are affiliate links):

SuppliesCJS

Maybe you will even play along with us -I would love to see how you interpret our monthly themes. Email me how you used my stencils and stamps with the theme and email me an image – I would love to share your projects in my next “n*Spiration From Around the Globe“.

See you next Tuesday for another project from the Creative Squad!

Nat

Comments (2)

  • ,Mary Holshouser

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    Love the card with the XXXXX
    I have that stamps and will be using that
    idea.
    A pretty, colorful card.
    thanks for sharing.

    Reply

  • Brenda

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    These cards are so colorful. Makes me want to go make some. Did you emboss in white on the last card?

    Reply

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Say Yes to New Adventures – Cheiron Brandon

CS August Say Yes

It’s Tuesday and time for my Creative Squad to share a project with you with this month’s theme: “Say Yes to New Adventures”. Throughout the month of August, the team will use any of my n*Studio Stamps and Stencils they would like to use to interpret the theme. Here in the northern hemisphere, summer is coming to a close and it’s about time to seize the days and go on a little adventure before hibernation! With this in mind, the team will create something that celebrates the spirit of adventure.

This week we bring you Cheiron Brandon and the adventure she went on to create a beautiful art journal page!

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Cheiron August Headshot

Hi there, Cheiron here with my August project for the n*Studio Creative Squad. This month, I tried a new adventure in my art journal, and it did not come out as I planned at all, but I will show you how I got it back to something I could use :)  Here is my finished art journal page with a fold out in the center for journaling:

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It did not always look like this, I started with a much brighter page and I did not like how the writing came out at all, so I painted over it with black:

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I added many layers to the page with lots of different stamps using Distress Paints that I applied to the stamp with a foam blending tool:

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I also had a page from another project that was an adventure gone wrong, so I cut it up and added it to the page so I could use the back for journaling:

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The lesson for me this month, is that every adventure whether it be small or big does not always work out, but you should just keep taking new adventures!

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Cheiron’s art journal spread turned out beautifully with all those layers, and the adventure it took to get there was definitely worth it.

Cheiron used the supplies listed below (some are affiliate links):

SuppliesCJS

Maybe you will even play along with us -I would love to see how you interpret our monthly themes. Email me how you used my stencils and stamps with the theme and email me an image – I would love to share your projects in my next “n*Spiration From Around the Globe“.

See you next Tuesday for another project from the Creative Squad!

Nat

Comments (1)

  • Miriam Prantner

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    Love how it turned out and how you were able to fix what you didn’t like. Loving the contrast between the background and the insert too!

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My Own Drum – Cheiron Brandon

CS June My Own Drum

Happy Tuesday! It’s time for my Creative Squad to share a project with you with this month’s theme: “My Own Drum”. Throughout the month of June, the team will use my new Fashion Dame Rubber Stamp Set to interpret the theme. This theme is all about inspiration, creativity, and personal expression. I asked my squad to create something that celebrates the power of individuality. March to the beat of your own Mixed Media drum this month!

This week we bring you a fun project from Cheiron Brandon. These tags are a great example of how the Fashion Dame can be “dressed”, just like a paper doll, and in this case a very fashionable one :)

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Cheiron June Headshot

The theme of “my own drum” combined with the Fashion Dame stamps this month was perfect for me! I wasn’t sure where to go with these fun Fashion Dame stamps, but I thought about it and about my own sense of fashion. I like many different styles of clothing, and it all depends on the season, occasion and even the mood I am in that helps me decide what to wear on any given day. I used the Fashion Dames like my own personal paper dolls and gave each of them their own personality and style. I created a set of tags that I can use in my art journal, on a card, or even as a gift tag.

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I created each tag with a bunch of Nathalies stamps. The first dame is wearing a golden top cut from some deco sheets, and her skirt is covered entirely with sequins. The background of the tag is stamped with a stamp from the Kaffee Klatsch set. Not an everyday look, but something totally fun!

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This tag was made with a background of book paper and some painted deli paper that I stamped with the Marks cling set. I gave her a fun patterned jacket using the Grunge Cling stamp set and some denim paper.

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This last dame is probably my favorite of all and if this dress existed in real life, I would totally wear it! I made the dress from painted deli paper stamped with the Marks cling stamp and gave her a belt of twine. Its very subtle, but I stamped and clear embossed some mesh in the background.

I certainly had fun playing with these Fashion Dames, and can’t wait to work them into my art journal pages!

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I love how Cheiron dressed the Dame in her very own creations, and yes, I want that super awesome jacket and dress in my closet!

In addition to sequins, book paper, and twine, Cheiron used the supplies listed below (some are affiliate links):

SuppliesCJS

Maybe you will even play along with us -I would love to see how you interpret our monthly themes. Email me how you used my stencils and stamps with the theme and email me an image – I would love to share your projects in my next “n*Spiration From Around the Globe“.

See you next Tuesday for another project from the Creative Squad, but in the meantime, we have a Blog Hop!

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You have the chance of winning one of the 3 prize packages containing all three of my foam stamp sets by leaving a comment today here on the blog and the following days on all blogs participating. Stampendous posts throughout June 13-17 every day a list of blogs participating and I have some awesome friends joining me :)

 

 

Nat

Comments (43)

  • NancyGrace Sims

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    I LOVED Cheiron’s ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING here in Hillsboro, Oregon.

    Reply

  • Susan

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    When I was a kid I loved paper dolls. Next I started sewing so I could have my own look. Love this

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  • Tamiko McCurry

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    now you are a fashionista by default… such fabulous little outfits!! darling tags!

    Reply

  • TracyM #6773

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    ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS tags, SO GLAMOROUS, the colours, layers and textures DELIGHT, LOVE them ALL!!!
    The second I saw Fashion Dame, she won my heart, it filled it with precious memories from when I 1st saw my Mother’s dressmaking sketchbook from her studies in the late 50’s.
    Tracy from Australia

    Reply

  • Claudia Jean Nelson

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    You are amazing. These are great. I love them so much. Thank you for the inspiration

    Reply

  • Joela Pascoe

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    Wow what awesome cards

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  • Bea savellano

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    All three are very cool. Love the sequins…b

    Reply

  • Julie

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    Wow, these are so wonderful! I love each one, so unique!

    Reply

  • Joi @RR

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    Cheiron – I feel like I have just watched Nat’s own private Project Runway Allstars fashion show!!!! WOW – you really did Nat’s stamps up proud girl – your creations are over the moon SPLENDIDLY CHIC. Your tags are my VERY FAVORITE of all the designs I have seen of the Fashion Dames. FABULOUSLY WONDERFUL – totally eye candy – going back to enjoy another look. j.

    Reply

  • Rachel Alexander

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    Wow, you are such an inspirational artist, I love your new stencils and can see that they are so versatile, the imagination runs riot with ideas!

    Reply

  • Jackie Schachter

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    Great tags! Love the mixed media backgrounds and all the outfits. Also like how the sentiments fitted each tag.

    Reply

  • Michelle Rydell

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    OMG I love that sequined skirt! All of the outfits you designed are so fun Cheiron! Great way to use the stamp set!

    Reply

  • Linda Edkins Wyatt

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    I would soooo love to win the stamps. I make arty paper dolls and atc dolls and would love to have a set to play with!

    Reply

  • Judy B

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    What a great idea, treating the image like a paper doll and then dressing it up. Thanks for sharing with us.

    Reply

  • Rae

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    Love this – these are so cute! Great and clever ideas for sure!

    Reply

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